What characteristics would your "perfect coin" have?

dan1ecu

No, by perfect I don't mean MS70, but rather a coin that would be the pride and joy of your collection. An awe-inspiring piece that would amaze you every time you looked at it. Is there such a "perfect coin" for you?

Dan

RGL

Unimprovable luster/mirrors, DCAM (if proof), not a single spot or tick and some nice toning on top ... The kind of coin that even a specialist in the series cannot relinquish and immediately asks, "How much?" Not asking for much, eh?

BillJones

Some history - a good story behind it relative to the price paid.

Good eye appeal, which includes:
- No big distracting marks or spots
- Either full orginal mint color OR attractive toning that is not distract from the design.

Some rarity - should not be so common that EVERY collector can get one - AND that means something more than just condition rarity.

Attractive design, well struck up. Weak strikes don't make it.

PhillyJoe

What he said.

Saw one this week.
Wednesday's Teletrade;: 1892 Pr67 UltraCameo Barber Half. Pop 2. None in any other grade. None in '93 or '94. Only other one resides in the #1 Everest Collection. Went as high as 10k but didn't hit reserve.

Show it to 100 people and you would get 100 WOW's.

I'm sure it will be relisted soon.

Joe

carl

If to show of to others, the very famous 55 DD Lincoln in Ms64,65 or 66.
If for just me, possibly any 1913 Liberty Nickel, a 43 copper Lincoln in any condition or just any complete coin set in a minimum of all uncirculated condition.

TommyType

I'm easy to please:

Anything from the 1790's, and above the grade of Fine.

A VF Flowing Hair Half if I'm required to be specific.

Russ

A value many times my cost.

Russ, NCNE

BillJones

<< <i>A value many times my cost.

Russ, NCNE >>



Sorry Russ, but that would be THIRD on my list behind history and collector interest. If that one is #1, I won't own the coin for very long.

I can be a bit buried in coin and not really care that much if I really like it as a collectors' item.

MrEureka

The perfect coin should conjure pleasant memories of its acquisition.

mirabela

Something really old. Not common. Circulated, but not slick. Wonderfully colored from years mouldering in somebody's reactive album. Manually made, with visible evidence of such -- maybe a smidge off center, or repunched, or overdated. There's probably an early dollar or half out there for me like this.

michael

a deeply mirrored biz strike low mintage three dollar gold piece with termendous eye appeal choice au with great color and surfaces where at first glance it looks choice proof!!!

a really great colored due to an improper alloy mixture frosty gem mintstate later date gold dollar

a really choice proof strongly cameoed civil war era proof gold coin with great coloration

a monster killer blast white deeply mirrored deep/ultra stellar cameo trade dollar in choice proof with and the first one graded deep/ultra cameo at a top tier service and not only the first one but still a pop one for the grade and date

a gem proof deeply mirrored deep/ultra cameo post 1905 barber quarter

an early 1870's gem deeply mirrored deep/ultra cameo three cent nickel


monster colored gem proof three cent nickels

wildly colored deelpy mirrored braided hair gem proof half cents

greatly colored cameo gem proof classic head half cents

cladking

I'm with Michael on this one; there are different kinds of perfection.

A spectacular PL '88-D cent with booming luster and smooth surfaces is a sight to behold.

Any rare coin in attractive condition has a way of just jumping out at you. When seen in an
old roll or found in a dealer's display case your eyes will tend to go to it first.

Any proof can be mesmerizing.

Perhaps my favorite perfection is a very well made coin from a brand new die. The first few
strikes will often show a unique sort of roughness which just isn't seen on any other coin.
The devices will sometimes look almost cameo if the dies were sandblasted first. There will
be a sort of new tire feel to it complete with the little bits of rubber hanging off from the pro-
duction process.

There's another perfection too; when you find a coin you need for your collection in an un-
usual or unexpected place like from a good friend, on a date, or in change at the movies.

Rather than a "box of 20" perhaps a "perfect collection" might bring more satisfaction. Well,
maybe striving for it better bring the satisfaction because there just aren't that many perfect
coins around.

gamr0n

Some really attractive toning

LanLord

Historically, any coin that "was" perfect at one time, was only that way until the next one came along.

So at this time, it would be a 1796 or 1797 half dollar. Preferably in a nice circulated condition around vf or xf.

Once that one is added to the album however, I'm sure something else would come along to grab my attention.

Cratylus

<< <i>A value many times my cost. >>



Spoken like a true Ferengi.

Russ

<< <i>The perfect coin should conjure pleasant memories of its acquisition. >>



There's no more pleasant memory than ripping a coin for far less than it's worth.

Russ, NCNE

CoinResource

I'd like one that mows my yard, too... -craig

mhammerman

Ahhhh, the perfect coin for me. A nice fugio cent type, the one with club rays, in silver, would be exceptionally neat as would a set of gobrecht $1 in au, some that some collector put aside from circulation. But, the coin for me would be a 1933 $10 indian. Tons of history and probably very nice strikes. Fiery luster, the way gold gets, maybe a little aged with some copper spots maybe 2 or 3 small ones and definitely on the obverse, near the neck...perfect rims with perfect sharp little stars on them. But, if I had to call out my perfect coin for me for right now, I would say the '08 NM $10 indian in 64+, an honest well preserved coin, with a pedigree from a collector, for a fair price. Cool coin, congress and the president argueing about the motto, people pisxin and moanin about the design, the irony of it all...a european female with an indian chiefs bonnet on what then was a coin that was face for 2 weeks wages in the factory. Yeah, I think ol Augustus was mixed up with her, I think she was his muse, at least her image was. But, you know, to me the king coin, the one that would be the only coin I would ever need to have would be the $50 pan-pacific United States Sesquicentennial 1915s octogan but a fair argument could be made for the round one as well. Either one would make it for my perfect coin. Fun thread!

mhammerman

I almost forgot...this one has to do for now.